Publication Items

Dam Secrecy Exposes Public to Dam Disasters [1]

A growing number of U.S. dams are in poor condition — with potentially lethal results. But the latest WatchDog Opinion argues that equally troubling is that that information is kept secret from the public and journalists in a national database.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [3]
Environmental Politics [4]
Government [5]
Infrastructure [6]
Journalism & Media [7]
Planning & Growth [8]
Water & Oceans [9]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
Visibility:
Public [11]
- Read more about Dam Secrecy Exposes Public to Dam Disasters [1]
Going Beyond Sensational Drought Headlines Gives Local Audiences News They Need [12]

As drought continues to afflict the southwestern United States, New Mexico PBS correspondent and producer Laura Paskus writes that environmental journalists must bring home its impact on local communities, while translating the science, making the connection with climate change and holding public officials accountable. Plus, reporting resources and a reminder that the story is too big for any one journalist.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [13]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [14]
Climate Change [15]
Disasters [3]
Environmental Health [16]
Environmental Politics [4]
Journalism & Media [7]
People & Population [17]
Planning & Growth [8]
Policy [18]
Water & Oceans [9]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
California [19]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [20]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [21]
Visibility:
Public [11]
- Read more about Going Beyond Sensational Drought Headlines Gives Local Audiences News They Need [12]
Septic Systems Often Hide Neglected Local Stories [22]

Millions of Americans rely on their own onsite wastewater treatment, commonly known as septic systems. And many of those systems are connected to private wells. But unless they are properly sited, designed, built and maintained, they can contaminate drinking water, bringing dangerous waterborne illnesses. The latest TipSheet explains how to turn this often ignored issue into a local story.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [23]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [24]
Consumer [25]
Environmental Justice [26]
Health [27]
Infrastructure [6]
Journalism & Media [7]
Laws & Regulations [28]
Planning & Growth [8]
Pollution [29]
Waste [30]
Water & Oceans [9]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [31]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [32]
Visibility:
Public [11]
- Read more about Septic Systems Often Hide Neglected Local Stories [22]
Global Satellite Data IDs Tensions Between Food Production, Biodiversity [33]

A recent study of global cropland expansion highlights several trends that are ripe with environmental news stories. One finding: New farm fields have taken over an area the size of Texas and California combined since the start of the century, an expansion primarily affecting biodiversity-rich natural ecosystems, with Africa leading the cropland boom. Freelancer Gabriel Popkin explores the latest data and the reporting possibilities.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [13]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [14]
Biodiversity [34]
Climate Change [15]
Consumer [25]
Economy & Business [35]
Environmental Health [16]
Environmental Justice [26]
Environmental Politics [4]
Environmental Studies [36]
Food [37]
Forests [38]
Journalism & Media [7]
Natural Resources [39]
People & Population [17]
Planning & Growth [8]
Science [40]
Technology [41]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
International [42]
Africa [43]
Asia [44]
Europe [45]
South America [46]
Visibility:
Public [11]
- Read more about Global Satellite Data IDs Tensions Between Food Production, Biodiversity [33]
Environmental Justice Beat Gets Boost From New Database [47]

The Biden administration, which has been making environmental justice a top goal, has released a new screening tool that complements existing environmental equity databases, but with especially strong attention to a range of categories like clean transit, clean water, housing issues, life expectancy and more (although, interestingly, not race). The latest Reporter’s Toolbox has a guide to the new screening tool.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [48]
Topics on the Beat:
Diversity [49]
Environmental Health [16]
Environmental Justice [26]
Environmental Politics [4]
Health [27]
Journalism & Media [7]
People & Population [17]
Planning & Growth [8]
Policy [18]
Pollution [29]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
Visibility:
Public [11]
- Read more about Environmental Justice Beat Gets Boost From New Database [47]
Houston Plays Host to First On-Site SEJ Conference Since 2019 [50]

Environmental journalists from around the country and beyond will gather in Houston later this month for the Society of Environmental Journalists’ 31st annual conference. Widely known as the energy capital of the world, this highly diverse city is an ideal place to drill down on the causes and consequences of climate change and other environmental issues of the day.

SEJ Publication Types:
SEJ News [51]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [52]
Air [53]
Biodiversity [34]
Chemicals [24]
Climate Change [15]
Disasters [3]
Diversity [49]
Economy & Business [35]
Energy & Fuel [54]
Environmental Health [16]
Environmental Justice [26]
Environmental Politics [4]
Fish & Fisheries [55]
Food [37]
Forests [38]
Government [5]
Health [27]
Infrastructure [6]
Journalism & Media [7]
Laws & Regulations [28]
People & Population [17]
Planning & Growth [8]
Policy [18]
Pollution [29]
Religion, Faith and Spirituality [56]
Science [40]
Technology [41]
Transportation [57]
Waste [30]
Water & Oceans [9]
Wildlife [58]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [21]
International [42]
Mexico [59]
Central America & the Caribbean [60]
Europe [45]
South America [46]
Visibility:
Public [11]
- Read more about Houston Plays Host to First On-Site SEJ Conference Since 2019 [50]
New Army Climate Strategy Provokes Questions, Stories on Local and Regional Impact [61]

Military bases typically have big impacts on surrounding communities, including on resource use and the environment. Now, a new U.S. Army climate strategy makes clear the military understands climate change will affect the bases themselves, with numerous ripple effects. The latest TipSheet outlines how reporters can find local stories on these new realities at bases around the country, including near you.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [23]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [15]
Disasters [3]
Environmental Politics [4]
Government [5]
Journalism & Media [7]
Military [62]
Planning & Growth [8]
Policy [18]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
Visibility:
Public [11]
- Read more about New Army Climate Strategy Provokes Questions, Stories on Local and Regional Impact [61]
Deep in the Heart of Complexity … Or, the View From Texas [63]

As the Society of Environmental Journalists prepares for its annual conference in Houston this March, the SEJournal asked Texas-based reporter Greg Harman to explore the Lone Star State's most critical stories for 2022. Here, in this special Texas-focused TipSheet, are leads, resources, encouragements and challenges.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [23]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [52]
Air [53]
Chemicals [24]
Climate Change [15]
Disasters [3]
Economy & Business [35]
Energy & Fuel [54]
Environmental Justice [26]
Environmental Politics [4]
Government [5]
Health [27]
Infrastructure [6]
Journalism & Media [7]
People & Population [17]
Planning & Growth [8]
Policy [18]
Pollution [29]
Wildlife [58]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [21]
Visibility:
Public [11]
- Read more about Deep in the Heart of Complexity … Or, the View From Texas [63]
Biden Administration To Struggle With Environmental Justice in 2022 [64]

The history of environmental racism is a long one in the United States, far longer than the efforts to address the problem. But reporting on environmental justice continues to tick upwards, and an analysis in the latest Backgrounder points to promising progress, explaining why for journalists the year ahead may yield important stories, whether about future footholds or new missteps.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [65]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [52]
Air [53]
Climate Change [15]
Diversity [49]
Environmental Justice [26]
Environmental Politics [4]
Government [5]
Health [27]
Infrastructure [6]
Journalism & Media [7]
Laws & Regulations [28]
People & Population [17]
Planning & Growth [8]
Policy [18]
Pollution [29]
Waste [30]
Water & Oceans [9]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [66]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [67]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [20]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [31]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [32]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [21]
Visibility:
Public [11]
- Read more about Biden Administration To Struggle With Environmental Justice in 2022 [64]
Eating (and Reporting) My Way Through the Foods of the Rainforest [68]

Conserving crop diversity is a key to maintaining global food security, especially in the face of climate change. To understand those efforts, Portland, Ore.-based freelancer Virginia Gewin traveled to South America, supported by a grant from the Society of Environmental Journalists, to find out how Peruvian chefs and Amazon dwellers hope to save the rainforest by sharing native and wild foods.

SEJ Publication Types:
FEJ StoryLog [69]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [52]
Agriculture [14]
Biodiversity [34]
Climate Change [15]
Economy & Business [35]
Environmental Justice [26]
Environmental Politics [4]
Food [37]
Forests [38]
Journalism & Media [7]
Natural Resources [39]
People & Population [17]
Planning & Growth [8]
Region:
International [42]
South America [46]
Visibility:
Public [11]
- Read more about Eating (and Reporting) My Way Through the Foods of the Rainforest [68]

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